Swing hinge prong binder



May 7, 1957 H. B. M BEE 2,791,220

SWING HINGE PRONG BINDER Filed Feb. 2, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 4/ A7 F g C m /0/ INVENTOR.

F 5 Mew i, M!!! V I BY y 7, 1957 H. B. M BEE 2,791,220

SWING HINGE PRONG BINDER Filed m. 2, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 &

INVENTOR. weer A. M 5:;

: imam 5% SWING HlNGE PRONG BINDER Harry B. McBee, Webster Groves, M0., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Royal McBee Corporation, a corporation of New York Application February 2, 1954, Serial No. 407,656

6 Claims. (Cl. 129 24 This invention relates to a binder and more particularly to a prong type binder adapted to hold papers of the loose-leaf variety.

It is the principal object of this invention to provide a binder of the general type specified with an improved paper holding mechanism.

A further object of the invention is to provide a binder of the general type specified wherein the cover of the hinder cannot be closed without first locking the prongs in closed relation.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a binder of the general type specified wherein the prongs may be opened to a greater degree than the prongs of binders of this type heretofore known in order to facilitate the insertion and removal of sheets, or leaves from the prongs.

Another object of the invention is to provide a binder of the general type specified having a flat unbroken backbone to facilitate printing or marking thereon or the mounting of an identification plate.

Various other objects will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a binder embodying the principles of my invention, the binder being shown with the front and rear covers open and all of the parts in locked relation.

Fig. 2 is a similar view to that shown in Fig. 1 showing the cover latch mechanism released.

Fig. 3 is an end view of the binder as shown in Fig. 2, the figure being shown along the lines 3--3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the binder with the cover latch released, and the swing hinge assemblies moved to a position to release the paper holding mechanism.

Fig. 5 is a similar View to Fig. 4 showing the paper holding mechanism swung to its open position to permit the insertion or removal of leaves.

Fig. 6 is a partial end view of the binder with the parts in the same position as in Fig. 5.

Referring now to the drawings, wherein similar reference numerals are used to designate the same elements throughout the various views shown, the binder is generally indicated by reference numeral 10 and comprises a front cover portion 11, a rear cover portion 12, a center portion 13, an intermediate portion 14 hingedly connected to each of said front cover portion 11 and the center section 13, and a second intermediate portion hingedly connected to each of said center portion 13 and the rear cover portion 12. A flat spacer bar 16 is riveted to the intermediate cover portion 15 and has mounted thereon two curved spaced prongs 17. The end portions of spacer bar 16 are bent up, as shown at 18 and 19, providing a vertical flange at each end of the spacer bar, the purpose of which will become apparent later.

One leg or leaf 20 of a hinge assembly, generally indicated at 21, has a flange 22 formed on the end thereof, the flange being perpendicular to the surface of the leg 20. The flange 22 is pivotally attached to the bar 16 by 2,791,229 Patented May 7, 1957 a rivet indicated at 23. A second leg or leaf 25 is pivotally connected to the leg 20 by a rivet 24 to complete the hinge assembly. The second leg 25 has a flange 26 formed on its end, the flange extending at right angles to the surface of the leg 25 and being pivotally attached to a second flat spacer bar 28 by a rivet 27. The leg 20 has an offset indicated at 29 so that the end portions of the two legs are in the same plane. A second hinge assembly, indicated generally at 30, connects the opposite ends of the bars 16 and 28, and since the two hinge assemblies are identical, further description of the second hinge is not deemed necessary.

A second set of space prongs 31 is rigidly mounted on the spacer bar 28, said prongs being out of register with the prongs 17 on the first spacer bar 16. A set of holes 32 is provided in the first spacer bar 16 opposite the prong 31 on the second spacer bar, and similarly a second set of holes 33 is provided on the surface of the second spacer bar 28 opposite the prongs 17 attached to the first spacer bar, whereby when the paper holding mechanism is in closed position, as shown in Fig. 4, the terminal ends of the prongs will be received within the holes formed in the opposite spacer bar to add rigidity to the prongs, when in said closed position.

A cover latch, generally indicated at 34, is adapted to latch the second spacer bar 28 to the intermediate section 14 of the cover, when the binder is in closed relation. The latch 34 comprises a slide bar 35 having two diagonal slots 36 formed therein. The lower ends of the diagonal slots 36 are curved to form a hook portion 37. The latch bar 35 is held to the intermediate portion 14 of the cover by a rivet 38 fixed to the cover portion 14 and extending through the slot 36. A plurality of washers 39 are provided between the rivet heads and latch bar 35 to prevent the latch bar from slipping off of the rivets. Two latching elements 40 are fastened to the underside of the latch bar 35 adjacent the groove portion, said latch member 40 having corresponding grooves formed therein to permit the rivet 38 to extend therethrough. The other edge of the latch members 40 extends beyond the side edge of the latch bar 35 and is bent back over the latch bar to form a U-shaped clip 41, as best seen in Fig. 3.

As best seen in Fig. 1, when the binder is in closed relation and the latch bar 35 is moved upwardly with relation to the cover, the diagonal 'slots 36 cooperate with the rivet 38 to force the latch bar 35 inwardly, whereby the clip 41 slides over the lateral edge of the spacer bar 28 and locks said spacer bar to the immediate portion 14 of the binder cover. An upturned flange 42 on the lower edge of the latch bar 35 forms a handle to facilitate the sliding of the latch bar 35. When the latch bar 35 is slid upwardly to its latched position, the rivets will enter the curved portion 37 of the slot and thus prevent inadvertent movement of the latch bar 35.

The binder is operated as follows: If the person using the binder is simply interested in reading the pages contained therein, the binder is left in the relation shown in Fig. 1. However, if the person using the binder wishes to insert or remove leaves therefrom, the latch bar 35 is pulled downwardly by means of the handle 42 thus releasing the cover latch from the paper holding mechanism in the manner shown in Figs. 2 and 3. T he paper holding mechanism is then swung upwardly to the position shown in Fig. 4, and the swing hinge assemblies 2-1 and 313 are each pivoted about its pivotal connections with the spacer bars, from the position that they occupy in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, to the position shown in Fig. 4. In this last pivotal movement of the swing hinge assemblies 21 and 39 around the pivotal connections with the spacer bars, the flanges of the hinge leaves are held in parallel planar relationship with the respective spacer bars, as,

for example, flange 22 of hinge leaf 20 is held in parallel planar relationship with spacer bar 16 by pivot 23. In the position of Fig. 4, the axes of the hingm coincide and the spacer bar 28 may be swung about these coincident axes to release the prongs from the paper in the manner shown in Figs. and 6. The flanges 18 and 19 on the spacer bar 16 limit the pivotal movement of the hinge assemblies relative to the spacer bars.

By the present invention a binder of the prong type has been provided wherein the paper holding mechanism may be latched to the cover to hold the binder in book form, or released therefrom to permit the binder to be collapsed into fiat form and the pages to lie flat for easy posting.

It is further evident that the binder disclosed herein has a novel form of paper holding mechanism which operates independently of the latch for latching the paper mechanism to the binder cover, whereby when the cover latch portion of the cover, when the binder is in closed relation.

While I have shown and described the preferred form of my invention, it is to be understood that various changes may be made in this construction by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A binder comprising a front cover section, a rear cover section, a center section, an intermediate section hingedly connected to each of the front and center sections, a second intermediate section hingedly connected to each of the rear and center sections, a first spacing member, a first set of spaced curved binding prongs connected to said first spacing member, means connecting said first spacing member to one of said intermediate sections, a second spacing member, a second set of spaced curved binding prongs connected to said second spacing member, latch means for detachably securing said second spacing member to the other of said intermediate sections, a pair of hinge assemblies one adjacent each end pivotal movement therebetween whereby said hinge.as-.

semblies may each be pivoted from a position wherein the pivotal axes of said hinge assemblies are parallel to each other thereby locking the prongs in abutting rela tion to a position where the pivotal axes thereof are coincident and permit swinging of said second spacing member about said coincident axes to open the prongs.

2. A binder comprising a front cover section, a. rear cover section, a center section, an intermediate section hingedly connected to each of the front and center sections, at second intermediate section hingedly connected to each of the rear and center sections, a first spacing mcinber, a first set of spaced curved binding prongs connected to said first spacing member, means rigidly connccting said first spacing member to one of said intermediate sections, a second spacing member, a second set of spaced curved binding prongs connected to said sec ond spacing member, latch means for detachably securing said second spacing member to the other of said intermediate sections, a pair of hinge assemblies one adjacent each end of said spacing members, said hinge assemblies each comprising two leaves pivotally connected at one of their ends for pivotal movement in the plane of said leaves, a flange connected to the terminal end of each of said leaves, said flanges being in a plane normal to the plane of said leaves, means pivotally connecting the flanges of each of said pair of said hinge assemblies one to each of said spacing members, said flanges and said spacing members being held in parallel planar relationship :during pivotal movement therebetween whereby said hinge assemblies may each be pivoted from a position wherein the pivotal axes of said hinge assemblies are parallel to each other and lock the prongs in abutting relation to a position where the pivotal axes thereof are coincident and permit swinging of said second spacing member about said coincident axes to open the prongs, the prongs of said first set being out of register with the prongs of the second set, holes in each of said spacing members opposite the prongs of the other spacing member adapted to receive the terminal ends of the prongs fixed to the opposite spacing member when said binder is in closed relation.

3. A binder comprising a front cover section, a rear covor section, a center section, an intermediate section hingedly connected to each of the front and center sections, a second intermediate section hingedly connected to each of the rear and center sections, a first spacing member, a first set of spaced curved binding prongs connected to said .first spacing member, means connecting said first spacing member to one of said intermediate sections, a second spacing member, a second set of spaced curved binding prongs connected to second spacing member, latch means for detachably securing said second spacing member to the other of said intermediate sections comprising a latch bar having diagonal slots therein, rivet means fastened to said other intermediate section and extending through said diagonal slots, U-shaped clip members fastened to said latch bar adapted to embrace said second spacing member, whereby when said latch bar is moved longitudinally in onedirection it will move laterally to bring said clips in embracing relation to said second spacing member and when moved in the opposite direction it will move laterally in the opposite to release said spacing member, a pair of hinge assemblies one adjacent each end of said spacing members, said hinge assemblies each comprising two leaves pivotally connected at one of their ends for pivotal movement in the plane of said leaves, a flange connected to the terminal end of each of said leaves, said flanges being in a plane normal to the plane ,of said leaves, means pivotally connecting the flanges of ,each of said pair of said hinge assemblies one to each of said spacing members, said flanges and said spacing members being held in parallel planar relationship dur- -ing pivotal movement therebetween whereby said hinge assemblies may each be pivoted from a position wherein :the pivotal axes of said hinge assemblies are parallel to each other and lock the prongs in abutting relation, to a position where the pivotal axes thereof are coincident and permit swinging of said second spacing member about said coincident axes to open the prongs.

4, A binder comprising a front cover section, a rear lcoversection, a center section, an intermediate section hingedly. connected to each of the front and center sections, a second intermediate sectionhingedly connected to each of the rear and center sections, a first spacing member, a firstset of spaced curved binding prongs connected to said first spacing member, means connecting said first spacing member to one of said intermediate sections, a second spacing member, a second set of spaced curved prongs connected to said second spaced member, latch means for detachably securing said second spacing member to the other of said intermediate sections comprising a l latch bar having diagonal slots therein rivet means fastened to said'other intcrmediatesection and extending through said diagonal slots, U-shaped clip members fastened to said latch bar adapted to embrace said second spacing member, whereby when said latch bar is moved longitudinally in one direction it will move laterally to bring said clips in embracing relation to said spacing member and when moved in the opposite direction it will move laterally in the opposite direction to release said spacing member, a pair of hinge assemblies one adjacent each end of said spacing members, said hinge assemblies each comprising two leaves pivotally connected at one of their ends for pivotal movement in the plane of said leaves, a flange connected to the terminal end of each of said leaves, said flanges being in a plane normal to the plane of said leaves, means pivotally connecting the flanges of each of said pair of said hinge assemblies one to each of said spacing members, said flanges and said spacing members being held in parallel planar relationship during pivotal movement therebetween whereby said hinge assemblies may each be pivoted from a position wherein the pivotal axes of said hinge assemblies are parallel to each other and lock the prongs in abutting relation, to a position where the pivotal axes thereof are coincident and permit swinging of said spacing member about said coincident axes to open the prongs, the prongs of said first set being out of register with the prongs of the second set, holes in each or" said spacing members opposite the prongs of the other spacing member adapted to receive the terminal ends of the prongs fixed to the opposite spacing member when said binder is in closed relation.

5. A sheet holding mechanism for use in a loose leaf binder comprising a first spacing member, a first set of spaced curved binding prongs connected to said first spacing member, a second spacing member, a second set of spaced curved binding prongs connected to said second spacing member, a pair of hinge assemblies one adjacent each end of said spacing members, said hinge assemblies each comprising two leaves pivotally connected at one of their ends for pivotal movement in the plane of said leaves, a flange connected to the terminal end of each of said leaves, said flanges being in a plane normal to the plane of said leaves, means pivotally connecting the fl anges of each of said pair of said hinge assemblies one to each of said spacing members, said flanges and said spacing members being held in parallel planar relationship during pivotal movement therebetween whereby said hinge assemblies may each be pivoted from a positi on wherein the pivotal axes of said hinge assemblies are parallel to each other and lock the prongs in abutting relation, to a position where the pivotal axes thereof are coincident and permit swinging of said second spacing member about said coincident axes to open the prongs.

6. A sheet holding mechanism her use in a loose leaf binder comprising a first spacing member, a first set of spaced curved binding prongs connected to said first spacing member, a second spacing member, a second set of spaced curved binding prongs connected to said second spacing member, a pair of hinge assemblies one adjacent each end of said spacing members, said hinge assemblies each comprising two leaves pivotally connected at one of their ends for pivotal movement in the plane of said leaves, a flange connected to the terminal end of each of said leaves, said flanges being in la plane normal to the plane of said leaves, means pivotally connecting the flanges of each of said pair of said hinge assemblies one to each of said spacing members, said flanges and said spacing members being held in parallel planar relationship during pivotal movement therebetween whereby said hinge assemblies may each be pivoted from a position wherein the pivotal axes of said hinge assemblies are parallel to each other and lock the prongs in closed relation to a position Where the pivotal axes thereof are coincident and permit swinging of said second spacing member about said coincident axes to open the prongs, the prongs of the first mentioned set being out of register with the prongs of the second mentioned set, holes in each of said spacing members adapted to receive the terminal ends of the prongs fixed to the other spacing member when said mechanism is locked in closed relation.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,488,260 McBee Mar. 25, 1924 2,002,071 Welk May 21, 1935 2,236,321 Ostrander Mar. 25, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS 719,918 France Nov. 24, 1931 

